Break dancing used to pride itself on inclusivity – so why is it in the Olympic Games but not the Paralympics?

Abstract

Despite these egalitarian beginnings, break dancing has not made it to the Paralympic Games, the alternative form of the Olympic Games developed to celebrate sport by people with disabilities.

It is a sad reality that, all too often, people with disabilities are excluded from such art forms, particularly younger people who are born with a disability. These young people are often tacitly excluded from this dance culture (despite the occasional tokenistic appearance of disabled celebrity dancers) because of its image of physical perfection and extreme, unrestricted movement.

It is with this exclusion in mind that some contemporary break dancers have founded a series of projects that seek to include people with physical disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments. Break dance can help with balance and teach ways to fall safely, both of which are helpful for people with visual impairments.